Power to hold out during dry season

The country is expected to consume 13.42 billion kWh in April and more than 41 billion kWh in the second quarter. The country used 35.8 billion kWh in the last three months. — VNS Photo Ngoc Ha

HA NOI (VNS) — Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) will use all its resources to ensure sufficient supplies during the dry season, said National Load Dispatch Centre Vice Director Vu Xuan Khu.

Power loads during the dry season's peak – from April to June – were expected to reach 460-465 million kWh per day on average, about 9.2 to 10.5 per cent higher than the same period last year.

The country is expected to consume 13.42 billion kWh in April and more than 41 billion kWh in the second quarter. The country used 35.8 billion kWh in the last three months.

Khu said EVN would have to mobilise at least 150 million kWh of coal-fired power and gas turbine power each day to ensure supplies lasted.

Nineteen reservoirs at hydropower plants across the country including Quang Tri, A Vuong, Song Bung 4 and Song Tranh in the central region and those on the Serepoc River in the Central Highland region will continue operating to ensure enough water for agricultural production and power generation. The prolonged Central Highlands drought has lowered hydropower production there, but EVN said it would have enough water to generate power through the entire dry season.

Khu said EVN was taking drastic measures to complete key power projects by the end of the month. They include a 500kV line connecting the national grid with Vung Ang 1 Thermal Power Plant, 220kv line Thuong Tin – Kim Dong and Mao Khe-Hai Duong 2 Thermal Plant.

In the first quarter, EVN got Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's approval to solve bottlenecks at other key power projects. EVN took over projects to expand Duyen Hai 3 Thermal Plant and Vinh Tan 4 Power Plant. It was also assigned to prepare funding and investment procedures to develop O Mon 3 Thermal Power Plant. — VNS